Choosing Between an Infant and a Convertible Newborn Car Seat

A newborn car seat is also referred to as an infant safety seat, or a baby car seat, protects babies from injury and death from car accidents. The harness distributes the restraining force over the child's body and head, rather than the neck or spinal cord.

They can be rear-facing or convertible and are available in a range of heights and weight limits. They may also be part of an entire travel system that snaps into and out of a stroller base.

Rear-facing

Rear-facing infant car seats provide unmatched protection for infants in crashes. They are designed to cradle and support children, while protecting their neck, head and spine. They also help to reduce injuries by keeping the force of an accident from striking your child. This is because the child's body does not collide with the car seat, or front passenger seat. Instead, it is a soft, cushioned surface in their car seat.

Parents should ensure that their child is facing rear until they reach the maximum height or weight limit of the car seat, as per the AAP and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The majority of children outgrow their infant carseat around age 1 at which point they can move to convertible car seats that can be oriented forward. But, many parents prefer to keep their child in a rear-facing car seat until they turn 2.

There are two main types of rear-facing car seat that are convertible and infant-only car seats. Both are safe, however they offer distinct advantages. For instance, infant-only seats are lighter, smaller, and come with an easy release base that is able to be removed from the car, and then reattached to the base of a stroller. Convertible car seats are larger and heavier, but they do not come with a built-in base for strollers.

It is crucial to always use the back seat, regardless of the seat type. You can also put a tightly rolled blanket or washcloth between the crotch harness and your child to ensure the harness is securely secured. Also, ensure that the lower anchors are attached to the lower attachment points of the lower anchor bars of your vehicle and that the car seat is correctly fitted and buckled.

While there is much debate over how long a baby should ride with their back facing, research suggests that babies up to 12 months old are less likely to suffer injuries in car accidents when they are facing the back of the car. Car seats with rear-facing seats allow babies to feel less stress when they strike the front of the car, instead of the rear which can result in serious injuries.

Forward-facing

The majority of parents have given a lot of thought to their infant's car seat. It was an important item on your baby registry and the way you brought your baby home from the hospital. Now that your child is getting older, you may be considering turning the car seat forward-facing. It's important to keep in mind that your child isn't yet ready until they've reached the weight and height limits established by the manufacturer of their car seat.

Until your baby is at least 20 lbs and a year old, they should remain rear-facing. This is because kids under a year don't have strong enough neck muscles to handle the whiplash caused by being thrown forward in an accident. They also face an increased risk of suffering injury to the spine when involved in head-on collisions.

You can buy a convertible car seat or an all-in one seat that lets you keep the child rear-facing up until the child is at the weight and height limits of the seat. They are usually bucket-style infant seats that have a base to install in your vehicle. They are also separated from the base and attached to strollers in order to form travel systems. They are typically lighter in weight and height restrictions than standard car seats.

You can also purchase a booster. These are usually equipped with a harness for younger children and can be converted to a belt-positioning seat once your child is ready for it. The primary benefit of this kind of car seat is that it will remain in your vehicle throughout the child's life making it easy to move your child from one vehicle to another.

It doesn't matter which car seat you pick follow the directions and follow the guidelines. Consult a certified car safety technician to make sure that your child's car seat is properly installed and used properly. Incorrect use of a car seat is common, and well-meaning parents could cause harm to their children if they aren't aware of what they're doing. The best infant seat way to avoid this is to read the instructions for car seats and following the guidelines of a CPST.

Convertible

Many parents choose convertible infant car seats since they can expand with your baby, allowing them to travel safely from infanthood to toddlerhood. These seats are less expensive than infant car seats that swivel seats and offer longer life span. However, it's important to select a seat that is easy to install and fits your vehicle. Also, ensure that you secure your baby correctly every time.

Snug straps stop the head from shifting into the dangerous chest-to-chin position that could result in strangulation or asphyxiation. Many infant carseats come with straps that are loose or not buckled which pose a major safety risk. Straps that aren't buckled could cause a neck to hang and is the reason of numerous accidents. If the crotch strap has not been enough tight to pass the pinch test, it can pose a danger. This test will determine if the crotch strap is tight enough to prevent the legs of a newborn baby from slouching in the seat, causing them to get trapped or cut.

Some convertible infant car seats come with an adjustable torso-height that allows you to adjust the height limit to suit your child's growth. The torso's minimum height should be the same as the height of your infant's shoulders or one inch lower. Some models include an infant insert to raise your child to the appropriate height for the seat.

The best infant car seat convertible newborn car seat should have a snug fit, comfortable padding, and a small base that lets you put it in your car. It should also include an incredibly snug, secure harness that is able to pass the pinch test and an incredibly small, tightly-rolled blanket or towel in case of an accident. It should also come with an tether strap that is attached to your vehicle's anchor points and can reduce crash injuries by reducing the force of impact on your infant. Additionally it should be equipped with an infant travel system that consists of a car seat that pairs with a stroller and an handle that you can use to carry the infant from the car to the stroller.

Safety features

Parents must consider when they're choosing the appropriate car seat for their newborns. Car seats are a crucial purchase for new families because correctly using them reduces the risk of fatal child collisions with motor vehicles by 71 percent. The choice between an infant car seat and a convertible car seat comes down to a few key factors that include safety features that are compatible with your car, and ease of use.

Car seats for infants are designed to keep the delicate physiology of a newborn in mind. They typically have a base that stays in the car and an infant carrier that snaps into the position, making it simple to transfer your baby from car to stroller and back again without causing any disturbance to them. They also have built-in harnesses and a crotch strap to keep your baby secure.

Some infant cars have side-impact protection that disperses the force of the collision away from the baby's head and neck. They have plastic, metal, and foam that absorbs energy and protects the head of the infant from direct contact with the vehicle frame or other objects involved in a collision. Some include a specially designed pod on the side of the door that extends out to protect the baby's head.

A chest clip is another safety feature that is becoming more popular in car seats for newborns. It keeps the harness straps firmly against your baby's chest. This prevents the straps from getting caught or twisting at the shoulders, which could place your baby at a higher risk of injury. If you choose a seat with this feature, make sure that the chest clip is placed at armpit height. It is also important to avoid dressing your baby in bulky outerwear that might interfere with the harness's fit.

Regardless of which kind of car seat you choose make sure it's installed in your vehicle in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Look for the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children system. This system comprises a connector which clips into the lower anchor points of your car, and an tether that is attached to an anchor in the vehicle. If your vehicle isn't equipped with LATCH, you can use the seat belt to secure your car seat.